First Spatchcock Chicken

Is a raised grid really neccessary?

I'm still waiting for my Egg to be delivered but I did purchase the CI grate for my incoming XL which is two half moon grates. I know the plate setter is a wobbly fit with the CI grate. I hope it's not impossible to raise it, being two pieces and all.


Good looking bird, I'm doing a spatchcock chicken for my first cook. 

Check out ceramic grill store. 

That Spatch looks like a Spring Chicken on the XL! 

I use a BGE 3 tier rack on the platesetter legs up with chicken on the top grid so it is way up in the dome at 400 for about 55 mins.till 160 breast 185 thigh and they always come out perfect with nice crispy skin. Good luck!

There's a lot of different ways to raise your grid and the prices vary from a few bucks to $200.  Just do a search on the forum and you'll see a lot of options.  I used a second grid and fire bricks at first before I bought the woo for all of my eggs.

For an inexpensive option on the XL try this:

http://www.amazon.com/Grill-Dome-GE-1000-Extender-Extra/dp/B004JF60EC/ref=sr_1_fkmr3_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1433823146&sr=8-1-fkmr3&keywords=grill+dome+grid+extender

It can sit on the standard grate or on the platesetter.  I have not tried it yet, but I assume it could also go right over the coals for caveman-type searing.

Agree with Chilly ^^^^^. This forum will cost lots of money. We all love new toys. Unfortunately sometimes not as much after we use them the first time. And cans work to raise the grid. I used them a couple times. Ended up with an AR shortly thereafter. I love it and use the heck out of it. But it ain't for everyone.

Hook_emHornsfan_74 said:

I am really not sure.  Some of the posts I have seen on here mention that they raise the grate.  I didn't' have the ability to so I left it as is.  I have just always cooked on the grate that was provided with my egg.  I need to bite the bullet and and start buying some accessories...

I agree with those who are encouraging you to wait on the accessories.  By all means, if you enjoy playing with new toys and the money isn't an issue, do what you enjoy, but there are a whole lotta folks out there cooking stuff they love in the Big Green Egg the way it came when they bought it.

If you have a plate setter (I gather they call it "conveggtor" now), you might try doing the spatchcock indirect at a fairly high temp (putting it in at 500, lowering it to 450).  I was following someone else's directions when I first tried it that way, and it works great for me.

If you've only cooked one spatchcock, have fun trying different approaches with the Egg the way it is, and feel like you've mastered it in the Egg the way it is, and then see if you still feel like you need to buy something.  I may buy an AR someday, but I've been so happy with what I cook on my Eggs the way they came when I bought them that I just haven't had a lot of incentive.

Another one in agreement on slow accessory buying is a smart move.  You can spend as much money as you want getting extra crap.  I have had my egg for about a year now, and have my go to tools.  I also have some I bought, barely used, and I dont like them.  

Some kind of raised grill is a must though.  I went with the PSWoo, then a homemade second tier out of a regular grid, nuts and bolts.  Gives me a total of three different heights to cook at, and 2 cooking surfaces at the same time.  
Another "must have" is some kind of digital probe that records internal food temp and grate temp that also transmits to a receiver in the house.  Also, set your grate temp range and have an alarm go off if it goes outside of that range and also when you hit your target internal food temp.

Spatchcock is the only way I cook whole chickens now.  Once you get your own system down, they are an outstanding meal that is cheap and healthier than a lot of alternatives.